(1) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to recoil absorbing mounts for projectile launchers and in particular, to a recoil absorbing mount using hydrodynamic added mass to decrease recoil velocities and hydrodynamic damping to absorb recoil energy in an underwater environment.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
The development of underwater projectile launchers, such as underwater guns which fire supercavitating bullets, requires that the new projectile launchers be tested. The firing of projectile launchers involving a high discharge energy results in a recoil that may affect the accuracy or testing of the launcher. To accurately test such projectile launchers and to implement such devices, the projectile launcher must be mounted in such a way that the recoil from the high discharge energy is sufficiently absorbed.
Some prior art recoil mounts used with guns include U.S. Pat. No. 2,817,233 to Dower, et al, U.S. Pat. No. 2,729,975 to Hawthorne, et al, U.S. Pat. No. 2,273,878 to Magrum, et al, U.S. Pat. No. 2,309,807 to Trotter, and U.S. Pat. No. 2,333,398 to Trotter, et al. These patents do not, however, disclose a simple device that effectively absorbs recoil from an underwater high discharge energy gun, such as by providing added mass to the gun. Inventions using added mass plates are, however, known in the art. None of the prior art discloses a recoil absorbing mount having an actuator used with an underwater projectile launcher in an underwater environment.